# An odd tattoo I saw today **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 2, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845 "2013-01-02T17:22:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/1 "2013-01-02T17:22:09Z")
I see a lot of tattoos in my line of work. I tend to ignore them for the most part, the bad, the bloody, the gross, the ridiculous, the sublime, etc. They rarely catch my eye anymore. Except for today. Saw a guy with a tattoo of an ATM on his arm. I asked if it had any special meaning, he said “no.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/2 "2013-01-02T17:29:38Z")
Probably helps attract women. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/3 "2013-01-02T17:30:51Z")
Yup. That’s a winner all right. I was trying to think of something funny to add; I can’t. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/4 "2013-01-02T17:31:54Z")
My favorite all-time tattoo was on a guy I saw in WalMart - he had a barcode on his neck. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/5 "2013-01-02T17:32:01Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I was trying to think of something funny to add; I can’t. I couldn’t think of anything either. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/6 "2013-01-02T17:37:19Z")
I would think an ATM had a special meaning for many of your, uh…patients. After all, isn’t that where the money is? ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/7 "2013-01-02T17:42:17Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > My favorite all-time tattoo was on a guy I saw in WalMart - he had a barcode on his neck. Saw that guy at Seacrets in Ocean City, Maryland. However, the best I’ve seen, also at Seacrets, was on a woman’s back and shoulders of presumably her in the (ahem) doggy position. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/8 "2013-01-02T17:44:25Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Yup. That’s a winner all right. > > I was trying to think of something funny to add; I can’t. > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I couldn’t think of anything either. ☹ I’m waiting, too. I’m on PINs and needles. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/9 "2013-01-02T17:47:04Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > My favorite all-time tattoo was on a guy I saw in WalMart - he had a barcode on his neck. At least that might have some meaning. It might be his way of saying that he feels like a victim of consumerism or society or whatever. Or maybe the barcode itself means something. I’m trying to think of anything more ridiculous than an ATM. CoinStar machine? Pudding? Stapler? ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/10 "2013-01-02T17:55:18Z")
Maybe he watched Swingers one too many times (they kept referring to each other as Money). So no one is going to dispense with any ATM jokes? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/11 "2013-01-02T18:00:21Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > At least that might have some meaning. It might be his way of saying that he feels like a victim of consumerism or society or whatever. Or maybe the barcode itself means something. > > I’m trying to think of anything more ridiculous than an ATM. CoinStar machine? Pudding? Stapler? Garlic press. Box grater. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/12 "2013-01-02T18:07:14Z")
Wait, I get it. It’s not an ATM. It’s a Transformer! That is some stealth cool right there. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/13 "2013-01-02T18:31:18Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Garlic press. > Box grater. That’s what I was going to mention - there are people in the world who get big ol’ tattoos of the tools of their trade, and cooks seem to be the most guilty of this, getting tattoos of things like frying pans and knives. Tattoo of an ATM, eh? Well, why not? It makes as much sense as anything else, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/14 "2013-01-02T18:51:02Z")
He probably has a few daughters. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/15 "2013-01-02T19:09:47Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > My favorite all-time tattoo was on a guy I saw in WalMart - he had a barcode on his neck. I spoke with someone at a New Years Eve party who swears he knows someone with a readable QR code tattoo. I’m wondering about the veracity, [but am looking into it.](http://www.bitrebels.com/technology/scan-yourself-geeky-barcode-qr-code-tattoos/) ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/16 "2013-01-02T19:56:17Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I would think an ATM had a special meaning for many of your, uh…patients. After all, isn’t that where the money is? I’m afraid the old Willie Sutton quote loses some of its charm in this modernized context. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/17 "2013-01-02T20:01:16Z")
I do also have a patient with the word Clybourn tattooed on him. It’s a street in his home town. I always misread it as “Glyburide”, a diabetes medication. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/18 "2013-01-03T00:18:01Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > My favorite all-time tattoo was on a guy I saw in WalMart - he had a barcode on his neck. So, did you try to buy him? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/19 "2013-01-03T01:09:46Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > At least that might have some meaning. It might be his way of saying that he feels like a victim of consumerism or society or whatever. Yeah, that’s how I’ve always interpreted it. While I wouldn’t call it common, it’s not exactly a novel tattoo, either. Just google “barcode tattoo” to see many, many versions of it. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845/20 "2013-01-03T01:17:55Z")
Maybe he’s a [Texas A&M](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Texas_A%26M_University_aTm_logo.svg) fan and the tattoo artist misunderstood. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-odd-tattoo-i-saw-today/645845.md?page=2)